As if on cue, Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me To The Moon" played softly in the background at a local steakhouse Thursday evening when Erick "Cubo" Torres settled in for dinner with Dynamo president Chris Canetti.

"You are all I long for

All I worship and adore,

In other words, please be true."

The Dynamo have longed for a legitimate Mexican star since the franchise moved to Houston in 2006.

Canetti hopes Torres, 22, becomes that star who endears himself to the franchise's longtime fans while penetrating the city's Mexican and Mexican-American soccer aficionados who haven't bought into Major League Soccer.

More than that, Canetti dreams of having Torres earn a place along with J.J. Watt, James Harden and Carlos Correa as one of Houston's best young athletes.

The Dynamo believed enough in Torres' potential to pay Mexican giant Club Deportivo Guadalajara a franchise-record transfer fee in excess of $7 million for Torres' rights Dec. 23.

As part of that deal, the Dynamo agreed to loan Torres back to Chivas for six months.

Torres arrived in Houston for good Wednesday. He joined the Dynamo on Thursday. He then joined Canetti for dinner after passing some physical exams.

Raising the bar

Canetti told the dynamic striker about Correa, Watt and Harden. Torres was amazed to learn Correa is only 20.

"We have a five-year contract," Canetti said. "This is just the beginning.

"If you look at everything that is going on, a new coach (Owen Coyle) and a change of scenery for the group, he's the anchor for that.

"We see a long-term vision and a long-term opportunity to make him one of the great athletes in Houston and, hopefully, one of the best players in Dynamo history."

Thinking big

Torres is shooting a bit higher than Watt, Correa and Harden.

He hopes Coyle helps him develop into a world-class striker so he can compete with international superstars Javier "El Chicharito" Hernandez and Giovani Dos Santos and his favorite Europe-based Mexican national team player Carlos Vela for playing time with Mexico.

Hernandez, the first Mexican to play for European heavyweight Manchester United, has competed in two World Cups. Hernandez, 27, has played for two of Europe's most storied clubs, Manchester United and Spain's Real Madrid.

Dos Santos, 26, and Vela, 26, have been two of Mexico's top prodigies since they led Mexico to the under-17 World Cup title in 2005.

Dos Santos was plucked away at 16 by Spain's renowned Barcelona. Vela left Chivas' youth academy to sign with the English Premier League's Arsenal at 16.

Although Dos Santos has been a regular on the Mexican national team since 2010, he struggled to find playing time on Barcelona's first team. He bounced around multiple English, Spanish and Turkish clubs before signing this month with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Hernandez is linked to a potential move from Europe to MLS expansion club Orlando FC.

"Giovani Dos Santos is a clear example of MLS' growth," Torres said. "He's a Mexican player that has a big impact on Mexican fans and other Mexican players. For him to come here to compete, it shows that MLS is a league that is growing… and will continue to grow to compete with the best leagues in the world."

Torres, a native of Guadalajara, was developed by the same Chivas Youth Academy that produced Hernandez and Vela. He made his first-team debut with Chivas at 17 in 2010.

Like Hernandez and Vela, Torres has played on Mexico's U-17, U-20, U-23 and senior national teams. Torres blossomed after Chivas de Guadalajara loaned him to the now-defunct Chivas USA in July 2013. He scored 15 goals last year for Chivas USA to earn his first MLS All-Star nod.

Mexican milestone

His 22 goals over 44 games with Chivas USA are the most goals in MLS by a Mexican player.

Torres signed with the Dynamo in December only after Mexican national team coach Miguel Herrera gave him his blessing. Herrera promises to continue scouting Torres for future competitions.

But he must shine with the Dynamo to earn opportunities with Mexico's senior national team.

"I hope to keep making history, keep leaving my own mark in the United States," he said. "I want to keep making the All-Star team. I hope MLS helps me keep earning calls up to the Mexican national team. It's a league that's growing.

"The professor Miguel Herrera continues to look here a lot. Those are my dreams. I want to keep earning calls up to the national team, and I hope the Dynamo and MLS will help me get to the 2018 World Cup."